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Book about trail history?

Posted: January 6th, 2019, 5:24 pm
by arlohike
When I'm on steep trails carved into precarious hillsides, I often wonder how they got built, when and by whom. Is there a book about the history of trails in our area? I know there are tons of guidebooks, but I'd love to learn about how these trails got there in the first place.

Re: Book about trail history?

Posted: January 6th, 2019, 6:33 pm
by RobFromRedland
I've never seen a book with this kind of info. The best I've ever found was this document I got when I visited the Forest Service in Sandy:

https://www.trailadvocate.org/scans/Tra ... r-1970.pdf

Some trails have more info than others - he talks about "investment records" (which I have yet to find) and "Ranger Carter's Notes" (which I have yet to find).

Some day I want to make a trek up to the National Archives in Seattle to do some more digging....

Re: Book about trail history?

Posted: January 7th, 2019, 10:00 am
by arlohike
Interesting, thanks for sharing that.

Re: Book about trail history?

Posted: January 8th, 2019, 12:33 pm
by BigBear
Don & Roberta Lowe's hiking guides from the 60s and early 70s might fit some of the bill. Not all of the trails in their books currently exist or have been re-routed. The Indian Heaven book (out of print) lists the old routes of the day, too.

Re: Book about trail history?

Posted: January 8th, 2019, 7:45 pm
by Peabody
-The source I like best to understand trail history is old maps.

1909-1911 Mt Hood Topo

Some examples:
pic1.jpg.png
If you look at the full map, notice that there is no Multnomah Basin road in 1909 nor any trails shown in the Wahkeena/Multnomah loop area. Those trails likely were built around 1915. Also, Eagle Creek trail isn't shown.

The trails shown to the east of Herman creek & the Wyeth trail are interesting and most likely were original Indian trails. There is no way it was a wagon road, and people weren't building trails per se in 1909. I also remember reading an old book that mentioned Indian trails around Herman Creek.


You'd probably like this thread, Payslee started it, but then Geostyled it The link to my map is broken in the thread so you can use this one.
https://caltopo.com/m/7K4H


and.....and......and you can also search old books using google....lots of early mentions about different areas and trails. This book mentions the Herman Creek trail in 1915...and "Waddam lake"

https://books.google.com/books?id=vF0ZA ... il&f=false

Re: Book about trail history?

Posted: February 15th, 2019, 11:52 am
by MarkInTheDark
The "Travels In Time" posts on this site include some excellent trail history info, most of what I've learned about Eagle Creek trail, I found there!